Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/766392
January 2017 WINES&VINES 147 GRAPEGROWING some locations that the pretreated wastewater is already at or near drinking water quality. Pair this increasing quality with the cost to treat the wastewater and the increasing need for water conservation, and it seems a shame to simply discharge the effluent into the environment or to a municipal wastewater treatment plant, where it will be treated again at additional cost. Thus, many wineries with vineyards are beginning to use their own wastewater for irrigation of the vineyards. Similarly, wineries detached from vineyards are starting to give, and potentially sell, recycled water to nearby vineyards and other operations. Vineyards also may utilize recycled water by obtaining it from other businesses and/or wastewater treatment plants such as the Napa Sanitation District's new purple pipes that provide treated municipal wastewater. What permits are required? Statewide, the SWRCB adopted recycled water waste discharge require- ments that create the general uses, treatment and discharge framework in conjunction with requirements set forth in the California Code of Regu- lation, Title 22. Locally, regional water quality control boards define what beneficial uses can apply in a given area or industry and the particulars for permits to discharge recycled water on a vineyard or other property. Generally, but with some exceptions, producers who treat the waste- water to create the recycled water, distributors who transport the recycled water and users who receive and discharge the recycled water must follow the requirements in SWRCB general order WQ 2016-0068-DDW (adopted June 7, 2016) and any requirements set forth by the regional boards. Under the general order, producers or distributors, whether publicly or privately owned, apply to be administrators by filing a notice of intent, indicating their intention to be regulated under the general order and to receive authorization from the appropriate regional board. An administra- tor's main job is to document compliance with the general order by: • Assuring there is no cross-contamination, • Certifying that the recycled water meets the Title 22 standards, • Making periodic inspections of users' facilities, • Ensuring that user personnel receive training, • Complying with the general order's monitoring and reporting program, • Issuing user permits, and • Sending annual technical and monitoring reports back to the SWRCB. Under this general order, recycled water, among other things: • Shall not cause or contribute to a condition of pollution, contami- nation, or nuisance; • Shall not be applied during periods when soils are saturated; • Shall not be allowed to escape as surface flow that would pond (dam up) or enter surface waters, unless authorized; • Shall not have spray or runoff that enters a dwelling or food- handling facility or contact any drinking water foundation, unless protected with a shielding device; • Shall not have incidental runoff that reduces water quality unless authorized; • Shall not be discharged other than for permitted uses; • Shall have no connection to a potable water supply and have appropriate backflow protection; • Shall not be used for groundwater replenishment; • Shall not be disposed of by means of percolation ponds, excessive hydraulic loading of application areas or any other method where the primary purpose of the activity is the disposal of treated wastewater, and • Shall not be used for direct potable reuse, indirect potable reuse for groundwater recharge or surface water augmentation. Beyond these prohibitions, the general order contains the minimum frame- work for the regional board's waste discharge requirements, including: • Monitoring for priority pollutants if recycled water is used for 1-800-797-2772 sales@primera.com www.primeralabel.com Print & Apply Your Own Labels